During this time when we’re all at home more, here are a few family-friendly and quarantine-friendly activities to help families learn about teeth and taking care of them!
Brush up on your art: Use old toothbrushes to clean appliances and jewelry, spot-treat stains on clothes, spread glue/adhesives, or give them to your kids in place of paint brushes on their next art project. Fun fact: The American Dental Association recommends that you replace your toothbrush at least every 3-4 months.
Practice makes perfect: Just like you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, you should brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day. Have your kids practice doing soft, circular motions by cleaning rocks or brushing the teeth of their favorite stuffed animals.
Think beyond the label: We know that excess sugar is not great for our teeth, but even drinks with low sugar content can still be very acidic. The acids in many juices, sports drinks, and flavored waters can dissolve the minerals that strengthen your teeth. Research the acidity of your favorite beverages or test them with simple pH strips. You could even soak an egg shell in different drinks to see the effect of acids on hard minerals.
Count your chomps: You might be surprised at how often you use your teeth. Count how many bites it takes you to eat one meal. Multiple that x 3 meals per day x 7 days per week x 52 weeks per year to see how many times you use your teeth to chew your food every year. Discuss what types of food you could eat if you lost certain types of your teeth. Look up pictures of different animals’ teeth and compare that to the food they eat!
Have questions about your teeth or mouth? Give North Creek Family Dentistry a call at 402-413-0505. We’re here to help!
